Ia Novema 2021, sa faamanatuina ai e Bahá’í o Samoa ma Amerika Samoa, faatasi ma le faitau miliona o uō mai isi atunuu o le lalolagi, le soifuaga o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
‘Abdu’l-Bahá
(1844 - 1921 - 2021)
O LE MATAI
The Master
O LE MEALILO A LE ATUA
The Mystery of God
O LE LĀLĀ AUPITO SILISILI‘ESE
The Most Great Branch
O LE FAATA‘ITA‘IGA SILI
The Perfect Exemplar
O LE TOTONUGALEMU O LE FEAGAIGA
The Centre of the Covenant
"O LE FAATA'ITA'IGA", o le igoa lea o se ata tifaga sa poloa’ia e le Maota Aoao o le Famasinogatonu e faailoga ai le faamanatuga o le atoaga o le selau o tausaga talu ona afio a'e ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, sa tatala aloa'ia i le Aso 18 o Novema 2021. O le ata tifaga lea o le soifuaga o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ma ni lagona loloto sa maua e tagata sa faatasi ma Ia, i aso ua mavae ma nei onapō. O se ‘i’ite mai o le tutasi o Lona tofi, o Ia o se malu, se talitā ma se ‘olomalosi mo tagata soifua uma, o loo ātaāta mai lea i ni ata matagofie pupuu mai nisi tagata sa feliua’ina o latou soifuaga mai lo latou ‘ae’ae ma Ia.
In November 2021, the Bahá’ís of Samoa and American Samoa joined millions of friends around the world to celebrate the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Whose titles include the Mystery of God, the Perfect Exemplar and the Centre of the Covenant.
"Exemplar", a film commissioned by the Universal House of Justice to mark the centenary commemoration of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, was released on 18 November 2021. The film follows the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the profound effect He had on people both past and present. A sense of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s unique function as a shelter, a shield, and a stronghold for all humanity is captured in vignettes of some of the people whose lives were transformed through their association with Him. The 55-minute film can be watched online here.
O ‘Abdu’l-Bahá o le Aloalii matua o Baha’u’llah ma e tulaga‘ese Lona tofi i le tala faasolopito o Tapua‘iga e pei ona faamatalaina e Shoghi Effendi, le Faatamā o le Faatuatuaga Bahá’í, e faapea: “.....ua tuufaatasia i le tagata o ‘ Abdu’l-Bahá, uiga lē ma‘ausia o le natura faa-le-tagata ma le poto maoa‘e faatasi ma le faaatoatoaga, ma o se tuufaatasiga ua faaatoatoaina lelei.”
Na soifua mai ‘Abdu’l-Bahá i Teherana, i Irana, i le Aso 23 o Mē, 1844. ‘O le taimi tonu lea na amataina ai le ta‘aviliga fou o le fuata‘iga o le olaga faaleagaga ma le nofo fealofani o tagata o le lalolagi ‘auā o le aso tonu lava lea na folasia faalaua‘itele ai le Fa‘aaliga a le Báb, o le ta‘iala sa alagaina le Afio mai o Bahá’u’lláh. Na mulimuli ane ona avea loa lea o ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ma fōliga va‘aia o a‘oa‘oga silisili ma faamoemoega uma a le Faatuatuaga Baha’i, e lē gata o Ia o le fa‘a-Ao o le Faatuatuaga, ‘ae o Ia fo‘i o le faata‘ita‘iga moni. Na faaigoaina o Ia i le suafa ‘Abbas ae mulimuli ane, lauiloa o Ia i le suafa ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ma o lona uiga “O le ‘Au‘auna a le Pupula.” Na faasuafaina fo‘i o Ia “O le Matai” ma le “O le Mealilo a le Atua,” ma sa ta‘ua fo‘i e Bahá’u’lláh, o Ia o le “Lālā Aupito Silisili‘ese.”
Sa fa‘amauina e se tasi o ulua‘i Bahá’í, le Susuga ia Ḥaji Mirza Ḥaydar-Ali, se fa‘amatalaga ma se valo‘aga a Bahá’u’lláh e fa‘atatau ia ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, e fa‘apea:
“O le ‘ā va‘aia i le lumana’i pe faapefea e Lona toatasi ma le leai o se fesoasoani, ona sisiina a‘e le tagāvai o le Suafa Silisili‘ese i le totonugālēmū o le lalolagi i le mana ma le pule ma le susulu fa‘alelagi. O le ‘ā va‘aia ai pe faapefea ona Ia tuufaatasia tagata o le lalolagi i lalo o le falefetāfa‘i o le filemu ma le fealofani. E ‘auina mai e Le Atua Malosi agaga i le lalolagi i vaitau fuafuaina ma se faailoga ua tatou ta‘ua o le Mana Faaleagaga Silisili‘ese. Ma o i latou ua mauvaega i lenei mana, ua mafai ona latou faia so‘o se mea lava; ‘auā ua ia te‘i latou le mana uma lava… Sa ia Iesu Keriso lea lava mana. Sa manatu faatauva‘a iai tagata ma faapea ane, o Ia o se taule‘ale‘a mativa sa latou fa‘asātauroina; ae peita‘i, sa ia te Ia lea lava Mana Fa‘aleagaga Silisili‘ese. O lea sa lē mafai ai e le tu‘ugamau ona taofia o Ia. O lenei Mana Faaleagaga na alia‘e mo le fesuia‘iga manuia o le lalolagi. Ua tatau ona taula‘i le silasila i le Matai,‘auā ua ia te Ia lea lava Mana.”
O SE TASI O TATALO a ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Lo‘u Ali‘i e, ua silafia e Lau Afio le si‘omia o tagata i le tigā ma puapuagā, ma ua ufitia i faigatā ma faalavelave. Ua osofa‘ia le tagata e tofotofoga uma, ma ua osofa‘ia ai o ia e puapuagā mata‘utia e pei o le osofa‘iga a se gata ūogo. Ua leai lava se lafitaga po o se sulufa‘iga mo ia vaganā ai lalo o le apa‘au o Lau puipuiga, malutiaga, leoleoga ma le tausiga. Lo‘u Ali‘i e, o Oe o le Alofa Mutimutivale! Avea Lau puipuiga ma o‘u talipupuni, Lau malutiaga ma o‘u talitā, le fa‘amaualalo i luma o le faitoto‘a o Lou tafatasi ma o‘u leoleo, ma Lau tausiga ma le puipuiga ma o‘u ‘olo ma o‘u nofoaga.Fa‘asaoina a‘u mai fautuaga a lo‘u lava tagata ma mana‘o, ma leoleoina a‘u mai ma‘i uma, fa‘aoso‘osoga, faigatā ma tofotofoga mamafa. E moni, o Lau Afio o le Malu, o le Fa‘atamā, o le Fa‘asaogalemūga, o le Atoatoa, ma e moni o Oe o le Alofa Mutimutivale o le Mutimutivale Silisili. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
'Abdu’l-Bahá, the eldest son of Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, occupies a unique station in religious history as explained by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith: “…in the person of Abdu’l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was born in Ṭehran, Iran, on May 23rd, 1844, at the precise moment when a new era began in the spiritual and social evolution of the world; the very day when the Báb, the precursor and herald of Bahá’u’lláh, announced His own new Revelation. He would later embody the Bahá’í revelation’s highest teachings and aspirations, becoming not only the head of the Faith but its true exemplar. Given the name ‘Abbas, he later became known by the title of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, which means “servant of glory.” Along with being called “The Master” and “The Mystery of God,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was also referred to as the “Most Great Branch” by Bahá’u’lláh.
An early Bahá’í, Ḥaji Mirza Ḥaydar-Ali, recorded Bahá’u’lláh’s own description and predictions about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:
“In the future it will be seen how He, alone and unaided, shall raise the banner of the Most Great Name in the midmost heart of the world, with power and authority and Divine effulgence. It will be seen how He shall gather together the peoples of the earth under the tent of peace and concord. At stated periods souls are sent to earth by the Mighty God with what we call the Power of the Great Ether. And they who possess this power can do anything; they have all power … Jesus Christ had this power. People thought of Him as a poor young man Whom they had crucified; but He possessed the Power of the Great Ether. Therefore He could not remain underground. This ethereal Power arose and quickened the world. And now look to the Master, for this Power is His.”
A Prayer by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
O my Lord! Thou knowest that the people are encircled with pain and calamities and are environed with hardships and trouble. Every trial doth attack man and every dire adversity doth assail him like unto the assault of a serpent. There is no shelter and asylum for him except under the wing of Thy protection, preservation, guard and custody. O Thou the Merciful One! O my Lord! Make Thy protection my armor, Thy preservation my shield, humbleness before the door of Thy oneness my guard, and Thy custody and defense my fortress and my abode. Preserve me from the suggestions of self and desire, and guard me from every sickness, trial, difficulty and ordeal. Verily, Thou art the Protector, the Guardian, the Preserver, the Sufficer, and verily, Thou art the Merciful of the Most Merciful. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
